Through Ephesians -09- Children of the Light
Reading: Ephesians 5:1-20
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light Ephesians 5:8 (NIV)
I. Impeccable People (vv.1-7)
A. Chips Off the Old Block?
1. It is normal for children to imitate their parents.
2. It is normal for children to resemble their parents.
3. You got those family characteristics?
a. Live a life of love...
B. Not even a Hint . . . (v.3)
1. How is this possible?
a. Draw the line darkly and stay well in back of it.
2. Immorality, impurity and greed are forms of idolatry ([[v.5|bible:Eph 5:5).
a. Non-Christians know that playing on both sides of the fence is hypocrisy and denies the power and sufficiency of God.
b. Folks who practice this idolatry are excluded from the kingdom.
c. But...
9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NIV)
3. The empty words (v.6 like: “Who is it gonna hurt.”) are deceptive tools that trick us into doing what displeases God.
4. Do not be partners... (v.7) — don’t join in, don’t be part of that gang, don’t be one of these boys, or gals.
C. Watch your Language (v.4)
1. We are surrounded by rotten language and it’s hard not to let ours stink.
2. Controlling our tongue at an opportunity for coarse humor, or in a situation of anger is difficult.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? James 3:9-11 (NIV)
3. Our impeccability factor is related to our use of language. Folks are watching.
II. Let there be Light! (vv.8-14)
A. The Fruit of the Light
1. You were once darkness but not now!
2. Be who you are!
3. Fruit of the light: goodness, righteousness and truth — find out what pleases God.
a. Truly good people are impeccable people.
B. Getting rid of the Fruitless dark
1. When has the dark ever produced fruit?
a. Evil is incapable of producing anything worthwhile.
2. Deeds of darkness — deeds that prefer the hiddenness and obscurity of the dark.
3. Expose what is shameful to mention (11b-12) — call sin sin, but don’t dwell on the sin.
C. Wake up! (v.14)
1. Leave the darkness and the illusion of reality we dream of in the night.
2. Christ shines - illuminating a new day!
3. Eph. 2:1-2, 4-5
III. Life at its Best! (vv.15-20)
A. Making the Most of it
1. Lit. Watch carefully how you step (v.15-16)
a. Make the most of every opportunity — lit. Buy back the time Implies a cost to us, in order to make an impact. Also implies that the time is owned by the evil doers.
2. Be wise — smarten up. It pays to pay attention to our Designer’s plan for living. (vv.15-17)
B. Be Filled up with the Holy Spirit (v.18)
1. Too much drinking lowers our moral awareness, our decision making ability is impaired. Alcohol is classified as a depressant, since it depresses human physical function. It affects judgement, and balance.
2. The Holy Spirit has the opposite effect.
a. A person filled with the spirit has an improved ability to make decisions, better moral balance.
b. This person is stimulated toward goodness and good living.
3. This filling produces the fruit of singing — not the bawdy songs of loneliness and loose living that you hear in the bar, but songs of joy and thanksgiving.
4. (This filling also produces mutual submission (v.21) but we’ll get to that next time.)
The Bottom Line:
Live so that all around can See the Light in you and be led to its Source.